Political Differences
by Sarcasmcat
Summary: Kai and Bryan are two of many ambassadors, trying to discover a traitor in their midst. Their problems multiply when unwanted emotions spring up between the two. BryanKai TalaRei
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own the countries.

AN: Another story I shouldn't be starting. Oh well. Huge thanks to Devlinn Reiko-sama for dealing with all my little personality quirks and for working as a sounding board for my stories.

Kai leaned back in his chair, feeling a migraine coming on. He knew that the next three weeks were going to a living hell. The slate haired man wasn't even entirely sure how he had ended up being the ambassador from Edesion. He knew his people skills were lacking.

One of the servants set a goblet in front of him before quickly moving to the next seat as he cast a fearful glance over his shoulder.

Kai smiled and took a drink of the wine, suddenly reminded of why he was here. For the past three hundred years, the Hiwatari family had been one of the most influential families in the kingdom, providing the country with ambassadors that could cowe and gain what they wanted.

Mahogany eyes skimmed over the other occupants of the circular room, contempt growing with each passing second. The loud mouthed ambassador from Tyn was trying desperately to impress the blonde from Reinald. A short neko-jin with his hair pulled back was talking to a green haired man.

Kai set his goblet back down, headache receding against the effects of the alcohol. Lilting laughter rose above the talking in the room, piquing Kai's curiosity. He was shocked that someone was actually having fun. Rising to his feet he scanned the room. Three people were standing against the far wall, deep in conversation.

Kai had to admit. The three men were stunning. The shortest man was wearing a floor length blood red robe, his long, raven hair trailing down his back in a braid. His golden eyes were shining and he seemed to be taking great pleasure in tormenting the redhead next to him.

The redhead grabbed his tormenter and kissed him. The dark haired man relaxed, an arm wrapping around his lover. Blue eyes flashed with warmth and he raised a black clad arm ringed with gold, pushing back some of his lover's hair.

It was the third man however, that caught and held Kai's attention. His pale lavender hair brushed his shoulders, white highlights visible in the light of the room. Silver eyes swept the room, shining with cynicism. The man's tall, lean body was encased in light, icy blue clothing that added to his ethereal look.

Kai picked his goblet back up and drained the rest of the clear liquid, mahogany eyes still focused on the lavender haired man. The slate haired ambassador had long ago come to terms with his attraction for men. However, it didn't explain why he was so entranced by the man.

Rei rested his head on Tala's shoulder as he smiled. His lover pulled him closer and tugged at his hair. A shiver ran down his spine and he looked over to where a number of the ambassador's were standing. Pale skin and two toned hair caught his eyes and the neko-jin smiled when he saw where the man was looking "Bryan's got an admirer!" Rei smiled, fangs peeking out.

His companions followed his gaze and Tala smirked. A slight frown twisted Bryan's lips and his silver eyes were neutral. Rei filled with the hem of his sleeve, eyes focused on the lavender haired man.

He knew Bryan better then anyone, including Tala, who was Bryan's best friend. Bryan's family had taken the neko-jin in when he was two. The four year old Bryan had proven to be extremely protective of his brother. He had only allowed Tala to court the neko-jin after the redhead had proved that he would do nothing to harm Rei.

The neko-jin rested a hand on Bryan's arm, golden eyes filled with concern. "Bry, are you okay?" The lavender haired man turned his attention to the neko-jin, eyes filled with affection. "I'm fine." A red eyebrow rose and Tala cocked his head to the side. "You are? Do you know him?"

Bryan shook his head. "I've heard of him. Kai Hiwatari, bastard ambassador from Edesion." Tala laughed, ignoring the glare his friend was directing at him. "What the hell is so funny?" Tala shrugged, blue eyes bright with humor. "Nothing. But if his personality is what you say it is, you two ought to get along spectacularly."

The lavender haired man rolled his eyes, not deigning to answer. "Anyone who is not an ambassador, please leave the room." Rei smiled. "Must keep all the secrets from reaching the ears of the undiplomatic." Bryan shrugged and kissed the neko-jin on the forehead. "Don't think you're going to miss anything Kattunge. Nothing will get done today."

Bryan watched as his sanity left. He snatched a wine glass from a passing servant and made his way over to the table, ready to start and end the meeting in the next five minutes. He sank into a chair and looked up to find himself eye to eye with Kai.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own it. And Stan Wyrm is actually a real place. It's in Montana and part of a medieval recreationist group. If you can figure out where it was you'll get a one-shot of a pairing of your choice.

A/N: It's my first year in college and that's why my updates have been so random and short. Right now I'm in the middle of changing my major. Devlinn Reiko-sama is in the same boat I am so her updates will be as sporadic as mine. Happy reading.

* * *

The ambassador from Stan Wyrm stood. He was the most senior of the seven ambassadors and was in charge of the proceedings. "I take it everyone knows why we're here?" There where nods all around the table.

"Of course we know why we're here Robert. What are we supposed to do about it?"

Kai glared at the green haired man that had spoken. "What the hell do you think we're supposed to do Oliver? The first thing to do is figure out who the traitor is."

The ambassador from Tyn leaned forward; navy eyes focused on Kai. "How do we know you aren't the traitor? You have the perfect personality for it."

The slate haired man smirked. "You don't Granger. And I could say the same about you. You're so stupid anyone would blindly trust you, thinking that you wouldn't know what they were talking about."

The dark haired ambassador jumped to his feet. "What the hell is your problem?" With that question the rest of the group started to yell, all supporting the Tyn ambassador. Bryan rubbed tiredly at the bridge of his nose. What he had hoped would be a quick briefing had turned into a free for all.

With a growl he slammed his fist on the table, stunning the room into silence. "If anyone says anything not related to the problem at hand, I will not be held accountable for my actions." He smiled ferally, silver eyes shining. "Insanity runs in my family."

Robert shot a grateful look at the lavender haired man before turning his attention back to the rest of the ambassadors. "Really. I expected more out of all of you. You're some of the most respected people in your countries and you're acting like three-year-olds. Ambassador Kuznetsov is the only one showing any kind of intelligence. We'll be meeting again tomorrow morning and I'm expecting better behavior. Dinner is at the sixth bell tonight. I expect to see all of you there."

He swept out of the room and it was only once everyone was sure he was out of hearing distance before anyone dared move. Oliver stood and brushed a piece of lint off of his tunic. "Well, I've had enough of this room. Goodbye until tonight."

One by one the rest of the ambassadors followed him out until Bryan was the only one left. With a tired sigh he drained his wineglass and got to his feet before leaving to find his brother and friend.

* * *

The silver falcon in the corner cocked it's head to one side before releasing a high pitched scream. The wolf and tiger that were lying in the middle of the floor looked up briefly before going back to their naps.

Rei snuggled deeper into the couch and turned the page on his book, paying no attention to the animals. "Tala, try not to bug him too much when he comes in. He's going to be in a bad mood." The moment the neko-jin stopped talking the door to their rooms was thrown open and Bryan stalked into the room, oozing frustration.

The ambassador sank into a leather wingback chair, his silver eyes sliding closed. The falcon fluttered from its perch and landed on the man's leg, a slight cooing sound rippling the silver chest feathers. Bryan stroked the bird's head, feeling the tension slowly drain away. "Someone remind me why I took this job?"

When Tala spoke Bryan could almost hear the smirk in the other man's voice. "Because you didn't get a choice. The Emperor decided you got the job. And not because he thinks anything of your negotiating skills. He just wanted you to scare people into agreeing."

Rei set his book aside and got up, carefully stepping over the tiger and wolf. "That and it was the only way he was going to let you out of the country. Remember, for all intents and purposes you're a prisoner."

Bryan sighed and gently pulled the tail of his falcon. "Don't remind me. Rei, go change into some pants. We have time before dinner and I want to go for a ride."

* * *

Kai leaned against the windowsill, a glass of wine in one hand. The perch that stood in one corner of the room was empty and he could barely make out the form of his phoenix as the bird rode the thermals above the city.

Raised voices below his window caught his attention and he looked down to see Ambassador Kuznetsov on the back of a giant black stallion. The red head from earlier was on a white horse and the neko-jin was riding a high spirited reddish-brown gelding.

The neko-jin looked up and met Kai's eyes, a smile spreading across his face. The ambassador took another drink of his wine and watched as the raven-haired man spurred his horse to catch up with the other two.

Kai turned away and refilled his goblet before taking a seat at the desk. He pulled a sheaf of papers closer and started flipping through them, trying to occupy his mind.

* * *

Rei nudged his horse to catch up with Bryan. He tugged the older man's sleeve, hoping that his brother wasn't going to snap at him. The great black horse came to a stop and Rei moved his horse around so that he could face the ambassador. "I was serious when I was talking about Hiwatari keeping an eye on you. I saw him watching you from his window."

Bryan rubbed his horse's neck, soothing the fidgety animal. "What else have you seen?"

The neko-jin shook his head and flipped his long braid over his shoulder. "Nothing beyond what I've observed today. I promise the moment I see anything else I'll let you know."

The ambassador leaned close and kissed his brother on the forehead, a slight smile twisting his pale lips. "I believe you Kattunge. You've never kept anything from me. Let's go. We should be able to make it to the forest and back before dinner time."

Bryan nudged his horse into a run with the other two men only seconds behind him.

* * *

When Kai entered the dining hall the long table was alredy almost completely filled by the other ambassadors and their family members. He took a seat as far away as possible from the ambassador of Tyn who was already talking a mile a minute.

Just as Robert was about to announce the start of dinner Bryan and his two companions came into the room, talking quietly amongst themselves. They settled in chairs almost directly across from Kai, their conversation never losing its flow. Robert waited until they were seated and made his comment before taking his own seat at the end of the table.

The slate haired man took the glass of wine the servant handed him and was about to take a drink when the neko-jin focused on him, pupils so dilated that the gold color was barely visible.

"Don't drink that!"


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This is another short chapter, but it's pretty much just to try and get things moving. I'm still not entirely certain where this story is going, but I'm hoping that this chapter will help. I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

Kai stared at the neko-jin, the edge of the goblet scant inches from his lips. No one else moved except Bryan who pried the goblet from the other Ambassador's fingers and sniffed the dark liquid, nose wrinkling when the scent of bitter almonds reached him.

"Arsenic." He grabbed the server by the throat and dragged him half on to the table, pale eyes narrowed in anger. "Where did you get this wine from? And don't lie to me. I'll be able to tell."

The servant stared up at the tall man, trying to keep from trembling. "I don't remember! Some guy with long dark hair gave it to me and told me to give it to Ambassador Hiwatari." He looked at Rei, and pointed, hoping to shift the blame to the neko-jin. "Actually he looked kind of like him."

Bryan released the man and the servant rubbed at his throat, glaring at the other man. Kai chose that moment to speak up. "Well, I guess that solves that problem." He gestured one of the guards against the wall forward with a brief flick of his wrist and pointed at Rei. "Have him taken to the dungeon."

Tala moved to stand but Bryan stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, silver eyes focused on the guard. "If you want to live, don't touch him." He turned his eyes to Kai, a frown twisting his lips. "And I don't care if you're some high lord. Don't tell anyone to touch my brother or you won't be waking up tomorrow. And it wasn't him."

Kai jumped to his feet, pale cheeks flushing with anger. He knew Bryan's background, the only blood child of a poor noble family who had taken the job of Ambassador to help his family, or so everyone thought. There were rumors floating through out the lands that the lavender haired man was in some kind of trouble with the Emperor and was doing this work because he owed the Crown. That however, didn't matter to Kai, because no one had ever threatened his life and lived.

"If it wasn't him how come he knew there was something wrong with my wine! He couldn't have known that there was anything wrong with it unless he had something to do with it!" The slate haired ambassador stared at Bryan, mahogany eyes bright with anger. The taller man looked down at him, eyes unreadable.

"It wasn't Rei. He's been with Tala and I since he got here and-" Bryan paused for a moment before continuing. "He's a Seer and has visions. That's how he knows something is wrong with the wine." He turned to Tala. "Tala, why don't you take Rei back to the rooms? If you need the Verwort to make his tea it's in my chest. I'm sure it's going to turn into a political matter in ten seconds now that everyone knows the Rei is a Seer."

The redhead nodded to his friend and gathered Rei against his side, the neko-jin shivering against his lover. The moment the door shut Robert sent everyone but the ambassadors from the room before turning ruby eyes on Bryan. "Your brother is a Seer? Have you ever considered-"

The younger ambassador shook his head. "He's tried. And don't think of making him try again. He nearly died that last time and I won't let him do it again." He glared at Robert. "And if you even think of trying to force him, you won't live much longer, and I can promise that your death will be slow and painful."

Bryan was about to leave when Kai spoke again, his voice low and angry. "Don't leave. How the hell did you know what was in my wine? It seems odd that an ambassador would know what kind of poison it was simply by scent. Maybe you poisoned my wine."

The taller man frowned slightly. "I really have no reason to kill you, other then the fact that you're a bastard. I'm also a trained herbalist and apothecary." He turned on his heel and left the room, leaving all the other men staring after him in shock.

* * *

Tala looked up from Rei who was sprawled on the couch with a wet cloth over his eyes when he heard the door open. Bryan slipped into the room and locked the door before crossing the small sitting room to kneel next to his brother. He rested a gentle hand on the neko-jin's forehead, a faint flicker of pain crossing his pale features. "Did he take the tea?"

The redhead nodded and got up from his chair, offering it to his best friend. "Yes. Now sit in the chair before you collapse. You need your own dose of the damn tea. I'm not dealing with both of you when your powers decide to put both of you in comas." He pushed Bryan into the chair before crossing to the fireplace to pour a cup of peppermint scented tea from the kettle.

Bryan carefully took the cup from the other man, a wry smile twisting his lips as the scent reached his nose. "Drinking this wouldn't nearly be so bad if it tasted like it smelled."

Tala settled into a chair across from his friend. "Have you considered cutting back on the amount of Verwort you use in it?"

The older man took a sip of the tea, a look of disgust crossing his face. "I have, but then it has no effect on dampening our abilities. Rei and I have been drinking the tea for so long that even this strong of a dose barely helps anymore. If we don't find another way to dampen them, then I have a feeling neither of us will hold on to our sanity for much longer."

A hand rested on his knee and golden eyes peeked at him from beneath the cloth. "Don't worry Bryan. You'll figure something out. How is Ambassador Hiwatari feeling?"

Bryan gently ran a finger across the back of Rei's hand, silver eyes half closed. "The bastard is fine. He went from thinking that you tried to poison him, to thinking it was me because I knew that it was arsenic, so he's going to be in an even worse mood for the rest of the meeting."

Tala tugged on one of his bangs, looking thoughtful. "You shouldn't have said it was arsenic. Besides making you look guilty, people are going to start wondering how you knew what it was by scent only. You can't afford to have people figure out who you are."

"I know Tala. Believe me when I say I'm not going to be going out looking for attention. The Emperor is already upset with me and I'm not going out of my way to piss that man off either." The ambassador stood and his falcon fluttered over to land on his shoulder. "I'll be in my room if anything comes up."

* * *

Kai stared at the book in front of him, unable to focus on the words. After Bryan had left the room Robert had sent all of the ambassadors back to their rooms to keep any of them from getting into any kind of trouble and to give the Palace's Magic Seekers into the Meeting Hall to see if anything else had been poisoned.

While Kai was used to having people threaten his life, this was the first time that anyone had tried to poison him and he was unnerved by the encounter. He didn't actually believe that the neko-jin or Bryan had anything to do with it, but they had been the easiest to blame since both of them had some idea of what was going on.

He leaned back into his chair, ignoring his book as it slipped on to the floor. Staring at the far wall he started going through all the people he knew that might want him dead. It was a long list, but he wasn't overly surprised. He'd angered many people ever since he was a small child and the older he got the more people he'd managed to anger.

The slate haired ambassador slowly drifted to sleep in his chair, dreaming of silver.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/N: Another long update time. Things are actually going to start moving after this chapter. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Happy Holidays.

* * *

Bryan rolled over and buried his head under his pillow, hoping he was simply imagining the headache that seemed to be splitting his head open. A slow bolt of pleasure trickled through his body and he shot straight up in his bed, anger spreading though his body, pushing back the pleasure. "Damnit Tala! Stop projecting." He climbed out of his bed and slipped a robe on before entering the common room. Frowning he placed the teakettle over the banked fire, reheating the Verwort tea from the previous day.

He settled in the chair and closed his eyes, trying to rebuild his shields. Normally when he woke up his shields were intact, though a little holey. This was the first time in nearly ten years that he'd woken up with his shields completely down and picking up everything from anyone within a twenty foot radius.

Warm fingers pressed against his temple and he sighed slightly as he felt the pressure from Tala and Rei's emotions lessen. Besides being a Seer Rei could help keep his empathy under control, but it tired the neko-jin out, so Bryan rarely allowed his brother to help him.

"Tala says he's sorry about the projecting. He forgot that you've been having problems with your shielding." Rei leaned forward slightly and pressed a kiss to Bryan's cheek before moving to the fire to pour him a cup of tea. "Why are you having so many problems? You haven't had this much trouble since your powers first started flaring up."

The silver haired man took the cup without opening his eyes and sipped at the hot liquid. "I don't know. The Healers think it's because I've gone so long without someone to ground me. You don't have nearly as many problems as you used to since you and Tala got together."

Rei poured his own cup of tea and settled on the couch, smiling when his tiger hopped up on the couch and sprawled out, taking up the rest of the space. He scratched the cat's ears, golden eyes focused on Bryan. "True, but if it weren't for the Verwort I'd be in a coma."

Bryan nodded before downing the rest of his tea with a grimace of distaste. "I know, and if I could save you from having to deal with that, I would, but it's not an option." He set his cup aside and got to his feet. "Why don't you spend the day in the Library and see if you can find anything that might help us. I have to go deal with the Hiwatari and the rest of those bastards."

The younger man smiled at his brother. "Have fun. And say hi to ambassador Hiwatari for me."

* * *

Bryan slumped in his chair, eyes closed. Only half of the Ambassadors were in the room and he could already feel their emotions pressing against his shields, threatening to crack the fragile walls. It was only a matter of time before they collapsed all together and he ended up on the floor, screaming in pain as he went insane. Rubbing tiredly at the bridge of his nose he nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt someone bump him as they settled into the chair next to him. With that single bit on contact all of the person's emotions slipped through his shields, causing him to grit his teeth in pain.

"Are you okay?" A hand settled on his arm and warm breath drifted over his neck, causing the pain he was already feeling increase tenfold.

The lavender haired man shot to his feet, fingers wrapping around the throat of the person next to him, tightening slightly. "Don't ever touch me again!"

Tyson clawed at the bigger man's arm, navy eyes wide with fear. "I won't! Just let me go!"

At that moment Robert stepped into the room, garnet eyes going to Bryan and Tyson. "Ambassador Kuznetsov please put Ambassador Granger down. I'd rather not have another incident like yesterday." The purple haired man sat down in his chair, a silent sign for the others.

With a look of disgust Bryan released Tyson and sank into this own chair, eyes closed as he focused on trying to keep the nausea at bay. Evidently his shields were worse than he thought, even with Rei's power reinforcing them.

It wasn't until the scraping of chairs on stone reached him that he slowly opened his eyes, wincing as the world did one slow loop before evening out. The room was nearly empty, except for Robert and Oliver, both who were watching him with confusion. "What's going on?"

Robert got to his feet. "I decided to not meet today. After yesterday's little incident I'd rather not have all of us together for the next several days. You're free to do what you please for the next three days." He paused for a moment. "And you might want to go see the Healers. You look a little pale."

The older Ambassador swept out of the room with Oliver following, leaving Bryan alone. With a long sigh the lavender haired man slowly got to his feet and slipped out of the room, wanting nothing more than to be far away from people

* * *

Rei slipped into the room with Tala behind him. He was surprised to find Bryan sprawled on the couch, asleep with one arm thrown over his eyes. Smiling softly the neko-jin pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and spread it over the other man. As he was tucking the blanket around Bryan's feet his fingers brushed against the instep of his brother's bare feet. A shudder ran through his body and he found a wave of unease creeping though his thoughts and not letting go.

Ignoring Tala who was watching him with confusion Rei grabbed Bryan's shoulders and shook the older man with almost violent force, golden eyes wild. "Bryan, wake up. You have to go get Ambassador Hiwatari now!"

The lavender haired man came awake with a jolt, silver eyes slight disorientated. It wasn't until the pain of Rei's grip on his shoulders finally reached his mind that he realized something was wrong. He pushed the neko-jin away, glad when Tala stopped Rei from hitting the floor. "I realize you're worried Rei but stop projecting before I vomit."

Rei shrugged away from his mate, golden eyes slightly glazed. "I'm sorry Bryan but you have to go bring Ambassador Hiwatari here. I have a feeling that something horrible is going to happen and I need to do a reading on him."

With a groan of frustration Bryan got to his feet and ran a hand through his hair, rumpling the lavender strands even more. "I should have known that bastard would have something to do with this entire mess." Without even worrying about his shoes he left the room.

* * *

Kai looked up from his book in time to see the door of his suite being flung open with Bryan standing in the stone arch, looking like hell. He was paler then normal, pain lines were clearly visible at the corners of his mouth and eyes, his hair was rumpled and he was bare-foot. Definitely not how Kai ever imagined seeing the other ambassador.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The slate haired man surged to his feet, book falling forgotten at his feet. He stalked forward, mahogany eyes focused on the taller man. "I don't care of you're the Emperor's lapdog, it doesn't give you the right to burst into my room."

Bryan's eyes narrowed and he took a step forward. "Look Hiwatari, I'm not in the mood to deal with your attitude right now. And I can guarantee you that I'm not going to put up with you being a bastard." With lightning speed he reached out and grabbed Kai's arm. "Rei wants to see you now and you don't get an option in the matter."

Without waiting for Kai's protests Bryan dragged him from the room, not even bothering to close the door.

* * *

By the time they'd returned to Bryan's suite Kai had given up on trying to fight with the taller man and had settled for simply stewing in his anger silently. The common room was dark, with the exception of several candles on a small table in the center of the room and the fireplace. The temperature of the room was almost unbearable hot, with Tala sitting near the fire, feeding more fuel to the already large flames.

Bryan pushed Kai into the room and closed the door behind them and locked it. Rei looked up from where he was sitting at the table, moving several gem stones into their positions on a piece of black velvet that had been embroidered with a circle of power. The neko-jin smiled slightly at Kai, his eyes slightly glazed. "Sit."

The slate haired man shot Bryan a venomous look before sinking into the chair next to Rei. Bryan leaned back against the door, eyes never leaving Kai. "Just do what Rei says. It will make your life easier."

Rei smiled at Tala. "Love, go ahead and put the herbs on the fire."

Tala did as he was told and a sickly sweet scent filled the air and thick purplish-green smoke quickly filled the room. Kai took a deep breath and started coughing, the smoke feeling like acid in his lungs. A soft hand rested on his and he squinted against the smoke, slightly unnerved by the way Rei's eyes were glowing slightly in the dimness of the room.

A quick glance over his shoulder showed that Bryan's eyes were also glowing, two argent spots in the darkness that cloaked the taller man. Wondering if all three men had magic Kai looked at Tala near the fire. Despite the fact Tala was so near the fire he could clearly see that the redhead's eyes were not glowing.

Suppressing a shudder Kai turned back to find Rei watching him, a soft smile curling his lips. "I know what you're thinking. How odd it is for two such strong Mind Mages to be together. Bryan and I have a special relationship. We keep each other balanced. However, that is not why were here."

The neko-jin rested his hand on Kai's face, thumb against his cheek bone, middle finger resting against his temple. "Relax. This isn't going to hurt." His eyes slid shut and he took a deep breath before slowly releasing it.

The room was completely silent except for the crackling of the fire for several seconds before Rei started talking. His eyes were open again and were glowing brighter then before and were tinged with red. "I see blood…tears…crying…a child's laughter…anger…love."

A shudder wracked the neko-jin's body but he kept murmuring as though nothing was wrong. "Silver….gold….traitor in the darkness….someone no would believe…poison." He looked straight at Kai. "Bryan. Trust him. He's the only one you can."

Without warning Rei started to scream, the sound tearing through the room. Before Kai could react he found himself ripped away from the neko-jin and pinned to the wall by Bryan. The taller man smirked at him, silver eyes still glowing and shot through with iridescent blue. "Unfortunately it looks like were stuck together."

Kai was so shocked by everything the neko-jin had said that he wasn't prepared for the pain fill groaned that trickled out of Bryan's throat as the taller man collapsed against him.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the Skethyans.

A/N: I've been focusing more on my original stories, but here's another update. Hope you all enjoy.

* * *

Kai glanced at Tala as the other man came out of the second bedroom, looking tired. Between the two of them they'd managed to get Bryan into bed, though it had taken more coordination than Kai had first thought it would. "What's wrong with them?"

Tala sighed and tugged at one of his bangs as he slumped into one of the chairs. "There isn't really anything wrong with them, in a traditional sense. How much do you know about Mind Mages?"

At the other man's confused look the redhead sighed again and sank deeper into his chair. "I don't fully understand any of this myself so you may want to get some clarification from Bryan when he wakes up. Mind Mages are even rarer than normal mages. Their power is entirely based on the power within their own bodies, while other mages can use the power from their surroundings. Because of that, many Mind Mages don't live past 45 or generally go insane."

He paused a moment before getting up. "Do you want some wine?" When he didn't get an answer he crossed the sitting room to the small table in one corner and poured a goblet of wine before taking his seat again. "How much do you know about our Emperor?"

Kai shrugged. "Only what everyone else knows. That he's a paranoid tyrant who practically locked down the entire border after his family was killed. It's also said that he dabbles in the Occult and has demons that serve him."

"Gods, Bryan was right." Tala ignored Kai's questioning look and drained his goblet before speaking again. "He didn't always used to be a tyrant and he doesn't have demons serving him. It's Bryan's fault he's like that."

"Bryan's powers came to him when he was twelve years old. Because the Emperor believed a Mind Mage could give him Immortality he started an 'Academy' to train them so he could have ultimate control over their powers. Bryan's family refused to send him and later refused to send Rei when his powers were awakened. When Bryan was fifteen he met his first bondmate."

"Do you even have mages?"

Kai shook his head, feeling more confused than when Bryan had shown up at his door barefoot and disheveled to drag him back here. "No. Mage Craft was outlawed over two hundred years ago. Anyone that has any kind of magic leaves the country quickly."

"Mages have one person who they are meant to be with, a soul mate if you will. Their mate is usually someone without any magic, and can act as a balance and keep their power grounded so it doesn't destroy them. Bryan, however felt the need to be different. His bondmate was the son of a farmer, a fire mage with hair and a temper to match his powers."

Tala got up and got more wine. "Bryan would have done anything for Johnny, and he did. They had their fair share of fights, as most couples do, but even in the middle of the worse ones anyone could see how much they loved each other. They had four years together before the Emperor decided to intervene."

"Bryan had been lucky that the Emperor had seemingly left him alone. Unfortunately in those four years Bryan's powers had continued to grow. One night, while the Keep was asleep the Emperor's men kidnapped Bryan and Johnny. Just outside the village the Emperor was waiting for them. He had Johnny raped and killed in front of Bryan. He left Johnny's body there and took Bryan with him."

"Because of the bond Bryan felt everything Johnny went through. Most of the time bondmates rarely outlive each other, but for some reason Bryan survived, but the pain drove him insane."

"Somehow when he was in the Emperor's Palace, he managed to get out of his cell. He used his Empathy to get past the guards and into the Royal Suites. Once there he murdered the Emperor's family while the Emperor was at his Council Meeting. When he returned to the Suite Bryan was sitting in one of the chairs, covered in blood with the Emperor's family at his feet."

"Bryan nearly drove the Emperor insane. He forced his pain from losing Johnny on the man, driving him to the brink. Rei managed to get there at the last minute and used his own power to shield the Emperor. Bryan had to stop lest his power feed back into Rei and risk his mind. Rei managed to get the Emperor to release Bryan, under the condition that he serve as Ambassador. He figured that with his Empathy Bryan would be able to manipulate everyone else to give in to what he wants."

Tala turned to face the other man. "The Emperor however, didn't realize that since Bryan lost Johnny he doesn't use his Empathy much anymore. Without a bondmate it's too painful for him to use his powers for too long." The redhead sighed. "He isn't free, no matter what it looks. Between the Emperor watching his every move and the pain of his power I don't honestly think he has much time left."

"Letting Hiwatari know I really am insane?"

Both men jumped at the sound of Bryan's voice, eyes going guiltily to the doorway where the lavender haired man was standing. Pain lines were evident at the corners of his mouth and eyes and his skin was unusually pale. To Kai he looked like he had just crawled out of his grave. The tall man crossed the room to stand behind Tala. "Is that wine?"

The redhead had barely nodded before his friend snatched the goblet and downed it on go before refilling the glass. "Should you really be drinking that?"

Bryan collapsed into the chair across from Kai, silver eyes fixed on the other man with burning intensity. "It'll help dull the pain some, but I'm not stupid enough to get drunk. I remember what happened the last time it happened."

Tala nodded. "So do I."

The last time Bryan had gotten drunk had been right after Johnny's death. The next day the residents of both the Keep and Village had all been depressive and several people had attempted suicide before Rei had finally realized what was happening. He'd found Bryan passed out in his room, unconscious and surrounded by wine bottles. When he'd passed out his shields had fallen and his feelings had been projected on everyone within range.

Rei had shielded him until he'd awoken and had proceeded to lecture him for the next two hours. After that Bryan rarely drank and for the next couple of years his shields had been nearly perfect. Now however, his shields barely made it the entire day and the more he was around people the less time his shields lasted.

Bryan turned to look at Kai, argent eyes burning with anger. "Stop projecting. I don't need your fucking pity." The tall man got to his feet and whistled sharply. His falcon settled on his shoulder and he left the suite, slamming the door behind him.

Kai stared at the door, confused as to what had just happened. They'd all been getting along, despite the slight tinge of tension he could barely make out, covering his skin like oil. He glanced at Tala who looked as confused as he felt. "What did I do?"

"Nothing that you can control, at least not at this time. You have to go to him." Rei moved further into the room, ignoring the look Kai was giving him. He was halfway to the couch when his legs gave out, sending him towards the floor. Strong arms caught him and he found himself cradled against Tala's chest, his partner watching him with concerned eyes. "I'm fine. I just need some time to recover."

The tall man carefully set the neko-jin on the couch before sitting next to him. "Do you want some Verwort?"

Rei shook his head, golden eyes fastened on Kai. "You have to go to him. Look at the top of the tower. He likes it up there. Makes him feel free."

Kai stared at the neko-jin before he got to his feet and left the room, muttering something under his breath.

Tala frowned as the door closed again. "How do you know Bryan won't snap?"

The neko-jin smiled as he settled deeper into the blanket. "Because while Bryan doesn't recognize Kai at the moment his Empathy does and won't allow Bryan to do anything to hurt him."

The redhead's frown melted into a look of disbelief. "You mean Bryan bonded to Kai? I didn't think people who lost their lifemates bonded again."

"He won't bond with Kai. He's too scarred, both emotionally and psychically for it even to be a possibility. Luckily, they don't have to bond for Kai to be able to ground Bryan's powers. He just has to be around Kai for it to work. Which means I won't have to shield him when he's not here. I'll be able to focus on finding some way to help us." He smiled at Tala, gold eyes sad. "That makes me sound like a horrible person doesn't it?"

Tala leaned forward and kissed the smaller man, blue eyes bright. "It doesn't and Bryan would agree with me. He wants you to be happy and his Empathy is making that nearly impossible. Believe me when there have been several times he's just wanted to end it so you don't have to suffer trying to shield him anymore."

Rei sighed. "I know. I may not be an Empath but even I can tell what he's been going through." He moved into Tala's arms. "But Kai will be able to help him, even if Bryan won't admit it."

The redhead leaned back, drawing Rei with him until the neko-jin was partially sprawled out on him. "How do you know? Have you been having visions about him?"

The neko-jin closed his eyes, soothed by Tala's warmth. "He's Skethyan. They can't touch magic themselves, but they can shield and ground others, even if they aren't lifebound."

Tala remained silent for several minutes. "He doesn't look it."

"Because they are the only people that would be able to tame a Phoenix. And I've been having visions about Kai for the past two years. I didn't have any idea of who he was or why he was so important until I saw him but now he's the only person who can help Bryan now."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/N: The short of it, class sucks. Sorry about the long update time and I hope you all enjoy it.

-----

"You might as well come out. I can feel you."

At the sound of Bryan's accented voice Kai stepped around the half closed door, trying to project an air of confidence that he didn't feel. He'd been raised to never show his emotions but there was a huge difference between not showing emotions and not feeling them. Being around the lavender haired man was turning all of his beliefs upside down and he wasn't sure he liked it.

Bryan was leaning against the parapets, the light breeze ruffling his hair and the sunlight bleaching his already pale skin which served to accentuate the dark circles under his eyes. Long pale fingers ruffled the feathers on the falcon's chest and the bird was trilling softly, leaning into the gentle touch.

Kai moved to stand next to the other man, careful not to touch him. It was obvious distance didn't affect Bryan's ability but he wasn't sure if touch amplified the lavender haired man's abilities but he didn't really want to test the theory.

They remained like that for several seconds, the whispering wind the only sound. Kai jumped when a curious chirp broke through his thoughts and he glanced over to find Bryan's falcon watching him, head cocked to the side. With a second chirp the bird hopped closer to him, stretching out her neck.

"Interesting."

The slate haired man glanced at Bryan from the corner of his eye, noting that the man looked relaxed, though he was frowning. "What?"

Bryan inclined his head slightly toward the falcon. "Falborg. Usually she isn't overly fond of strangers, but she seems to like you."

Silver eyes went to the sky and his frown eased. "Although your phoenix explains much, as do your eyes."

"What?" Kai silently cursed himself as an idiot, biting back his frustration but knowing it was to late when the other man swung back to face him, a feral grin pulling at his pale lips.

"As much as I love my brother, he has a tendency to meddle. He knew all along that you were Skethyan. Only descendants of the Skethy have eyes of such a rich color."

The slate haired man couldn't help but flinch when Bryan's hand came up, thumb brushing over his cheek.

Bryan frowned eyes narrowed. "Abused when you were little were you." He moved closer, his thumb continuing its trail over the smaller man's cheek. "So even the proud Kai Hiwatari has his own demons." With a soft smirk he leaned down, brushing a light kiss across Kai's slightly parted lips.

"Don't fear. As long as you remain by my side people will find it hard to attack you. Hiding guilt from an Empath is impossible." The older man pulled away from Kai, still smirking. "Stop trying to hide your emotions from me. I can tell you're curious to know more about the Skethy."

Kai simply rolled his eyes, knowing that fighting with the man wasn't going to help him. "Since you seem to be such an expert on the magical why don't you enlighten me."

Bryan laughed, the deep sound rolling down Kai's spine and causing goose bumps to cover his arms. "Finally the much talked about Hiwatari spirit. I was beginning to think you only showed a backbone when you had alcohol in hand."

Ignoring the glare from the other man Bryan leaned back against the ramparts eyes focused on the distant mountains. "The Skethy were an ancient race of bird people. They were nearly wiped out in an ancient war, their aeries destroyed. They were hunted and only the youngest son and daughter of the royal family survived in the end. Luckily there were people, mostly Elemental and Mind mages willing to shelter them. In time the Prince and Princess found love among the mages and they bred with humans."

"In the thousands of years since then not much of the Skethy culture has survived. With each bout of crossbreeding the Skethy descendants lost their ability to fly and use magic. Now the only way to tell if a person is Skethyan is through the color of their eyes." He titled his head back slightly, eyeing the phoenix riding the currents above them. "And their ability to tame any bird. It's said only a descendant of a Skethy can get near a phoenix, let alone have one became a willing companion."

"And what of your falcon?" Kai folded his arms across his chest.

Bryan shrugged. "In my land every member of the Noble families are bound to animal spirits. They're more like an extension of us then just simple animals. On good days Falborg actually listens to me."

Trilling softly Falborg launched herself off the parapet and took to the sky. Kai watched her ascent until she joined with Dranzer, wheeling around the castle.

"Falborg came to me not long after Johnny was killed. If it hadn't been for her and Rei I probably would have killed myself and most of the rest of my parents' servants."

The slate haired man tilted his head to the side slightly, watching the other man out of the corner of his eye. Bryan was staring at the distant mountains, the usual raptor sharp focus gone from his eyes and face, making him look softer and slightly more approachable.

Kai returned his gaze to the mountains, though his thoughts remain on the man next to him. For some odd reason he couldn't help but wonder what Bryan would have been had he not lost Johnny to the Emperor, had he been allowed to grow up slowly and experience life without being insane.

Strong fingers clamped on his upper arm and he was pulled around to face Bryan. He couldn't look away from the blazing silver eyes. "Don't think you have any idea of what I've been through Hiwatari. You could never understand the pain of loosing a bondmate." The grip on his arm eased and for a brief moment Kai flirted with the idea of pulling free before he caught the glimmer in the older man's eye, as though Bryan knew what he was thinking.

Before he could react he found himself pulled against Bryan, arms trapped between their bodies. The anger in Bryan's eyes had disappeared, but there was something about the emotion Kai could see that was just as disturbing as the anger, but in a different way. It made him want to please the lavender haired man, to keep him happy at any cost. Bryan's free hand came up to stroke over his cheek and he leaned down, pressing a light kiss to Kai's parted lips. "But since seem to be so curious about me, let me show you what made me the way I am." He kissed him again. "Just let me in and it'll be painless. I promise."

Wanting to avoid any pain he relaxed against the bigger man, barely managing to keep from flinching when he felt a smooth presence slip into his mind, surrounding him. He had expected it to be something like having Dranzer with him, a soft quiet presence that could be blocked. Bryan however, was a burning presence in his mind, infiltrating his deepest thoughts.

For a brief moment there was nothing and then blinding agony shot through his head. He tried to jerk away but even through the intense pain threatening to crack his skull open he could feel Bryan's fingers on his arm and the heat of the other man's body surrounding him. The slightly accented voice seemed to ring in his ears and mind. You wanted to know what is was like.

Depression ripped at him followed quickly by dark anger that had him going for a half imagined knife. Other emotions flickered across his mind, almost to fast to decipher. Indifference, rage, sadness and a burning need for revenge against the one who had stolen my lover.

As quickly as all the emotions had come they vanished, leaving Kai feeling weak and slightly nauseous. Taking a deep breath he opened his eyes, dark cloth swamping his vision and he started to pull away, suddenly unsure of his whereabouts.

Warm fingers rubbed against his scalp easing the tension in his body as a soft voice with an accent reaches him. "Relax. There won't be anymore pain. And I shielded you from the worst of it. Wouldn't want to destroy such a beautiful creature."

Kai knew he should pull away from Bryan, that something about the lavender haired man wasn't quite right. But he couldn't bring himself to move away from the burning heat of the other man's body, from the gentle caress of the man's hands, one buried in his hair the other resting lightly on his hip. There was something alluring about the way Bryan touched him, in a way no other had. They stayed that way for long minutes, Kai curled against the bigger man as they swayed back and forth.

"REI!"

Kai jerked away at the neko-jin's name, eyes going to Bryan's face. The tall man was trembling, his eyes glowing even in the sun.

"Not you."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.

A/N: Holy long update time. Luckily, school is out for winter break so I'm hoping to have this story done before class starts up. This chapter is twice as long as the last chapter so think of it as a Holiday present. Hope you enjoy.

-----

"Not you."

Kai watched, feeling utterly confused as Bryan turned on him and disappeared down the stairs, moving like a man possessed. For several minutes he stayed where he was, still feeling unsteady on his feet from the invasion of his mind by the lavender haired man. When he saw Falborg plunge towards the balcony he knew belonged to Bryan and his companions he finally managed to move, knowing something had happened.

-----

Slowing down Bryan drew the knife from his belt as he neared the door to their room. Fear and pain were roiling out of the room, most of it coming from someone he had never felt before. He paused outside the door, reaching out for Rei, knowing the neko-jin could feel him. Images of a knife and an unknown intruder flashed across his vision, as seen from Rei's eyes.

Growling he stepped into the room, sharp eyes taking in everything. Tala was bent over Rei who was on the floor, pale hands stained with the neko-jin's blood. Wolborg and Driger had the intruder pinned in the corner of the room, impressive canines bared to keep the man from trying to escape. "What happened?"

"We were on the couch when he came in. I got up and he jumped me. The only thing that saved me was my reflexes. If I wasn't a neko-jin I wouldn't be alive now." Rei caught the worried look in his brother's eyes and he waved his hand. "It's nothing serious Bryan. Just a scratch, nothing a couple of stitches and some aspen tea won't cure."

The lavender haired man frowned, silver eyes flashing once with his power before returning to normal. "I don't care if it's just a scratch. He attacked the family member of an Ambassador and he must be punished." Sliding his knife back into its sheath Bryan stepped forward, moving with feral grace.

The man in the corner turned his gaze from the animals pinning him in place to Bryan, fear evident in every line of his face. His pale skin was shimmering with sweat and he looked like he was on the verge of being nauseous. "My Lord, I didn't mean to hurt him. I was only sent here to scare him."

Bryan pressed his thigh against Wolborg, ignoring the halfhearted snap the great wolf made at his hand. Neither Driger nor Wolborg would ever actually attack him but it didn't mean they would relinquish their prey without letting the lavender haired man know their displeasure.

He made a sharp gesture with his hand and both animals backed up, moving closer to Tala and Rei, though their growls did not cease. Reaching down he easily pulled the small man to his feet, hand tangled in the thick fabric of his tunic. "It was stupid of you to attack people with familiars. If I didn't need to know who sent you I would simply allow Driger and Wolborg to rip you apart. And I can tell what you are thinking. 'Safer to be with the human. He won't rip me apart like the animals will.' You're wrong." He leaned down until he was inches away from the man's face, his lips curled in a predatory grin. "You would have been better off with the animals. When I'm done with you, you're going to wish I'd let them have you."

Ignoring Rei's attempts to grab him as he walked by Bryan practically carried the would-be assassin into the small study attached to their suite. The heavy wooden door slammed shut with an ominous 'thud.'

Rei tried to sit up, smacking away Tala's hands as the redhead tried to keep him down. "We can't let him do it Tala. It's an abuse of his powers and every time he does that it's like he looses a little of himself."

Tala drew the neko-jin into his arms, mindful of the smaller man's injuries. "I know Rei, but we can't risk going in there. When he gets like this he has no control over his powers and the last thing he needs is for one of us to rush in there and possibly get hurt. We're just going to have to trust him."

The neko-jin buried his face in the redhead's shirt, nails biting into the palm of his hands. "Any other time I'd trust him, but when he uses his powers like this, Bryan ceases to exist. He becomes a _thing_ that thrives on pain and anguish. One of these days he is going to go too far and he won't be Bryan anymore."

Kai burst into the room, eyes widening at the sight that greeted him. Tala and Rei were on the floor and he could see blood staining the neko-jin's clothing and Tala's hands. Driger and Wolborg were standing guard between the two men and a large closed door where he could just barely make out the sound of a low cold voice. "What happened?"

Rei tried to get up, only to be pulled back down by Tala. "Let me go Tala. I was attacked and Bryan took the attacker in there." He gave up trying to get out of the bigger man's arms and turned to face him, one hand coming up to stroke over his lover's pale cheek. "Kai can go in there and ground him. People of Skethy descent are immune to mind magic. Maybe with him in the-"

"No need to send anyone in. I'm done." Bryan slipped out of the room, leaving the heavy door partially open. "Tala, go find Robert and the Palace Guard. I'll brew some aspen tea and take a look at Rei." Not waiting for the redhead to answer he simply picked Rei up and set him on the couch and carefully started working at pulling the sticky fabric away from the wound. "Kai, there's a small chest at the foot of my bed. Get it for me and then set a pot of water on the fire."

Shooting an annoyed look at the lavender haired man's back for treating him like a common slave Kai none the less followed Bryan's instructions. He knew aspen was used to ease pain and it did look like the neko-jin was in considerable pain. Claiming the chair with the best view of the couch and the door the slate haired man sat down and watched as Bryan took care of Rei, large hands surprisingly gentle as he cleaned and stitched the wound before covering it in a bandage.

Tala returned with Robert and several guardsmen in tow just as Bryan was pushing a mug of tea into Rei's hands. The redhead sat behind his lover on the couch, carefully wrapping an arm around the neko-jin as he leaned back.

"Where is the man who attacked you?" Robert folded his hands into the sleeves of his robe, eyes sweeping over the room, taking in the overturned furniture, the blood on Rei's shirt and the way Wolborg and Driger were pacing the suite, their low growls echoing off the stone.

Bryan nodded towards the study as he repacked his chest of herbs and tinctures. "In the study. He isn't a danger anymore."

Robert glared at the other ambassador's back, burgundy eyes snapping with danger. "This is my castle and my country. I will make the decisions on who is not dangerous and I suggest you watch your tongue Ambassador Kuznetsov. I know you are not on your Emperor's good side and I'd hate to think of what might happen to you if he receives word of your attitude while in a foreign country."

The lavender haired man shot to his feet and spun around, silver eyes glowing with his anger. "Do not threaten me Jurgen. I am the most powerful Mind Mage alive at this time and if I say a man is no longer a threat to me and mine it is true. The man who attacked Rei will spend the rest of his life drooling and staring into space. I could do the same to you and your guards would have no hope of stopping me."

As Bryan's warning hung in the air two of the guards stepped out of the study, the man who had attacked Rei between them, dark eyes wide and blank. His mouth was hanging open and a thin trickle of saliva was trailing down his chin and neck.

Smirking at the shocked look on Robert's face Bryan knelt back down to finish storing his supplies. "I trapped him in a loop of the pain of the attack. All he can feel is Rei's terror and the pain he caused. He doesn't know anything about who hired him or who the traitor is."

Robert waved a hand and the guards carried the man out, two men remaining with him. His eyes widened and settled on Kai, as though he was seeing him for the first time. "Ambassador Hiwatari. I'm surprised to see you here. You and Ambassador Kuznetsov didn't seem to be on the same page at our initial meeting."

The mahogany eyed man shrugged, his gaze locked on Bryan as he spoke. "I was intrigued to find out if he was as much of a bastard as he seemed to be when I first met him." When Bryan's head whipped around to meet his eyes Kai smirked and continued. "It turns out he really is."

"Well, Ambassador Kuznetsov's personality aside, you and the Ambassador's brother are the only two people who have been targeted by the traitor so I'd like you to stay with them for now. If you are both in one room you are easier to guard and we'll need less people so we can continue to search for the man behind this all. Good day gentlemen." Robert swept out of the room, assigning his two guards to stay behind and act as the first watch.

Slowly getting to his feet Bryan turned to face Kai, grinning wickedly. "Sadly this suite only has two bedrooms and it wouldn't do for such an illustrious servant of the state and noble to sleep on the couch. And since Rei has been injured kicking him out of his bed would not be kind." He stalked forward until he was towering over the still seated man, ignoring the knowing look Rei was giving him. "And I am not kind enough to give up my bed so it looks like you and I will be sharing."

Kai simply stared up at the other man, face a mask of apathy. "I can guarantee your attempts at making me uncomfortable are not working. I was trained from an early age to ignore other people and to simply focus on my goals. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get my belongings so I have some hope of being comfortable if I have to be living with you." He got to his feet and brushed past the bigger man, his aristocratic heritage showing in his every word and movement.

The moment the door slammed shut Rei sat up and leaned forward slightly, golden eyes focused on his brother. "You want him. Even if he wasn't Skethyan you would still be trying to seduce him. He reminds you of Johnny." He watched as the lavender haired man's body stiffened before he moved to the sideboard to get a glass of brandy. "Don't try to hide it from me Bryan. My Empathy may not be as strong as yours but I don't have to be strong as you to see what is in front of me."

Slamming the bottle of alcohol down Bryan's free hand clenched on the shelf, knuckles turning white from the pressure. "Rei, you know how I feel about having Johnny brought up and Kai is nothing like my beautiful Flame. It's been so long since I've met someone so compelling. It's nothing more then a fleeting interest." He downed the amber liquid in his glass before turning back to face his companions. "I'm going to the library to see if they have anything on dampening Mind Magic. I'll be back later."

-----

Kai tightened his grip on the towel around his hips, glaring darkly at the guard standing right outside the bathroom. Someone had decided he and Rei were completely incapable of defending themselves so the two guardsmen at their door had taken to following them around, even down the hall to the small bathing chamber. Growling in frustration he passed the man, the telltale thump of the man's boots falling into step behind him echoing down the corridor.

He entered the main room of the suite to find it abandoned, only a fire flickering in the fireplace. The voices of Rei and Tala were barely audible through the door to their room and he carefully made his way through the darkened room to the door of the room he would be sharing with Bryan.

When he'd come back with his belongings earlier in the day the lavender haired man had not been in the suite and both Rei and Tala had been reluctant to talk about anything that had happened earlier in the day or the whereabouts of the violate man.

Pushing the door to the room open he paused, mahogany eyes focused on the sight in front of him. Bryan was sitting on the bed, shirtless, a web of thick scars covering his back. The silvery moonlight highlighted each ridge of raised tissue, throwing them into stark relief against the pale skin.

"Rei didn't manage to completely convince the Emperor to let me go without some kind of punishment. I was imprisoned for three days and whipped every morning and evening. By the time I was released there was nothing a Healer could do to keep them from scarring. They serve as a daily reminder of my insanity, but I would have done worse for Johnny."

Twisting around Bryan looked at Kai, eyes glowing argent in the darkness. "I could feel your pity and disgust. It is impossible to sneak up on me." Moving with feline grace the lavender haired man stretched out on his side, watching his companion.

"Do you mind?" Kai held up his pants, hoping the other man would all him some kind of privacy. He had been trained at the Academy where public bathing was common but looking had been taboo.

Even in the darkness of the room the slate haired man could see the wicked smirk twisting Bryan's pale lips as he answered. "No. I want to see what you've been hiding beneath those gods-awful robes you feel the need to wear."

Knowing he wasn't going to win and not feeling the need to disturb Tala and Rei he simply dropped his towel and changed, acutely aware of the silver eyes watching his every movement. Raising the blankets he slipped into the bed, linen sheets cool and smooth against his skin as he rolled onto his side, back to the other man. The bed was big enough he couldn't even feel the warmth of the other man and he was hoping Bryan wasn't prone to sprawling. Having to share the bed was bad enough without waking up anywhere near the man.

He wasn't sure how long they lay in the dark, the only sounds in the room of their breathing and the soft ruffling of Falborg's feathers as she tried to settle down for the night. When no movement came from the other side of the bed he allowed his body to relax, the day's events finally catching up with him. Between the emotional ride he had been on with Bryan and the shock of seeing Rei pale and bleeding he was ready to sleep for days on end. He was on the threshold of sleep when cold fingers traveled down his spine, causing his body to tense up.

Feeling his frustration grow he rolled over to come face to face with Bryan, scant inches separating them. "Why couldn't you stay on your side of the bed?"

"Because I find you attractive."

The shock and confusion Bryan could feel with his Empathy coming from the younger man brought a smile to his face as he stroked the back of a hand along Kai's cheek, ignoring the slight flinch the other man hadn't managed to completely hide. "I can tell I shocked you with my bluntness. I've spent the last eleven years of my life feeling the deepest emotions of those I care for and I do not feel the need to hide my own emotions from those who are not Empaths."

Kai stared at Bryan, not entirely sure what to think of the man's confession. He had the power to manipulate emotions and could use it to his advantage in his role as Ambassador yet he refused simply because others could not defend themselves. His grandfather had taught him to exploit every weakness he could find in people and in particular their emotions. He closed his eyes, sinking into the feeling of the lavender haired man's hand on his cheek as he tried to figure out when exactly he had decided Bryan was a bastard.

Yes, at their first gathering the man had been vocal and angry, but when compared with his own actions and words Bryan had come out seeming like a saint. And the few times he'd seen Bryan and Rei together the older man had treated his brother like spun glass and with the utmost care. Examining each bit of memory from the time he had first seen the other man to the now, with them lying in bed like lovers that unlike himself, Bryan was only a bastard to those who rightly deserved it or attacked his loved ones.

Warmth spread through his body and he slowly opened his eyes to find Bryan watching him, the incandescent blue streaks again in his eyes. "So you finally realized I'm not the evil bastard everyone wants you to believe I am." He smiled at the look in Kai's eyes as he pressed a light kiss to the man's cheek.

Shifting his weight Bryan pressed Kai back into the mattress so he was leaning over the smaller man, pale hair falling forward to brush against his cheeks. He could see the trepidation in the mahogany orbs staring up at him; feel the anxiety tightening the lithe body. His smile softened as he trailed his hand along Kai's jaw and down his neck to rest over the man's heart. "You really are beautiful."

Kai tensed, frowning up at the bigger man. He was no stranger to intimacy, having shared his bed with a number of courtesans from the King's harem, one of the privileges of being an ambassador. However, all his time spent in bed with women, did not prepare him for the fact another man found him attractive. Same sex pairings were a common occurrence; especially in populations were there were more males than females. In fact it seemed to him the same sex couples he knew of strayed less from their partners.

The hand on his chest slid lower, drawing him from his thoughts and he again focused on Bryan's face. The older man was watching him, head canted to the side, his smile having transformed into a predatory smirk. "I can see you've never thought about taking a male lover. The feel of a hard body against your own, their manhood against you, the way it feels when they take you, make you submit to their every whim." He leaned forward until their lips were touching, covering Kai's body with his own, his words a low husky purr. "And who knows the male form better than another man?"

Without waiting for an answer he claimed Kai's mouth in a savage kiss, pressing down, letting the other man feel his need. For a brief moment he felt nothing but anger and anxiety before something snapped in the slate haired man, passion flaring bright to Bryan's Empathy. Smiling to himself Bryan deepened the kiss one hand sliding between their bodies to brush over the heat between the other man's legs.

Breaking away from Kai he feathered light kisses across the man's cheeks and jaw taking immense pleasure from the way the man was arching against him, breath coming in sharp gasps, arousal racing through his body. Pulling his Empathy back in he buried his face against the crook of Kai's neck, knowing he would push the man too far if they continued. Taking a deep breath he rolled on to his side, pulling Kai with him until the smaller man was pressed against his chest. He could feel the man's arousal manhood against his hip as he stroked a hand along his smooth back.

Slowly the tension eased out of Kai's body, helped by Bryan's Empathy as he used it to calm them both down, to ease them towards sleep. Surprisingly enough even as he drifted off Kai did not pull away from Bryan and seemed to instead move closer to the man as sleep dragged him under.

-----

Strong feelings of anger and frustration woke Bryan and he slowly sat up, careful to not wake Kai who was still asleep, face in a pillow. He could clearly make out Tala's voice from the main suite of the room and it sounded like the redhead was arguing with one of the Palace Guards. Gauging by the angle of the light coming through the window from the moon it was early in the morning, probably no later then three.

The door to their room carefully opened and the lavender haired man could see Tala's outline in the frame of the door. "I'm awake Tal. You can come in."

His friend slid into the room and closed the door behind him, sharp eyes easily making out the shape of Kai pressed against Bryan. "I didn't think you would be able to get him into bed this quickly."

Bryan rolled his eyes as he climbed out of the bed and pulled a shirt on. "Nothing happened. Why are the guards so upset?"

Tala moved to stand at the door to the balcony arms folded across his chest as he stared out at the castle wall. "Ambassador Tyson Granger was attacked an hour ago. He's with the Healers right now. If the assassin's blade had been a little more to the left he wouldn't have survived. Robert wants all the Ambassadors in the meeting hall as soon as possible."

"Of course he does." The lavender haired man ran a hand through his hair before moving to the bed to wake Kai. "There have been two attacks in less then twenty four hours and he thinks getting us all together to talk about it is going to help. Hiwatari, get up. We have a problem that seems to require the attention of every Ambassador in this god forsaken castle."

Kai rolled out of the bed and pulled a robe on over his pants, completely ignoring the two men as he left the room.

"I can see he's going to be a joy to wakeup next to in the mornings." Tala left the room ahead of Bryan, leaving his friend to glare at his back.

-----

Robert glared at Bryan as he entered the room, the last one to show. "So glad you could join us Ambassador Kuznetsov." Ignoring the dark look the other man gave him he settled at the head of the long table, hands folded in front of him. "At first I had come to the conclusion the traitor was simply here to discredit all of us towards our respective leaders and to other nations. However, in light of everything that has happened, the attempted poisoning of Ambassador Hiwatari, the foiled attack on Ambassador Kuznetsov's brother and now the nearly successful murder of Ambassador Granger I realize I was mistaken in all of my assumptions."

"It seems to be that the traitor is simply trying to attack as many people as possible and forestall our negotiations and demoralize us. Since our talks must happen, even in the face of what is happening tomorrow at noon we will resume our talks. Until then each of you will be escorted by two guards."

"Respectfully Ambassador Jurgen, I will do without the guards. My Empathy is all the warning I need before an attack and unlike the other gentlemen in this room I was trained in weapons as well as words." While Bryan's words were civil everyone in the room could read the contempt hidden in the words.

The purple haired man slowly got to his feet, eyes flaring with anger. "Ah yes, the much celebrated Empathy. I can see how well it worked today when your brother was attacked. Forgive me for not trusting it to save you."

Before anyone could react Bryan had pulled a knife from the sleeve of his shirt and with an expert flick of his wrist had thrown it at Robert. The short knife tumbled through the air and landed with a thud in front of the burgundy eyed Ambassador. All eyes in the room were pinned to the knife as Bryan simply turned and strode out, his point made more eloquently with a single flick of his wrist then any thousands of words every could have ever done.

-----

"It's been three weeks. I wish the bastard would make a move. I'm tired of having Robert's goons following me."

Rei glanced at his brother from across the chessboard, golden eyes bright with suppressed laughter. "Bryan, I have the feeling if you hadn't felt the need to _throw_ a knife at Ambassador Jurgen he wouldn't have assigned you twice as many guards as he did everyone else. You've probably got him thinking you're the traitor."

"Simply because I prove to him I'm more than capable of defending myself he decides he has to piss me off. If the assassin comes after me someone is going to die just because his guards are in my way." Bryan moved his bishop and took one of Rei's pawns off the board. "Where's Tala?"

The neko-jin scratched Driger's ears as he examined the board. "In the library. With you actually doing your job you don't have time to look through the books and he refuses to let me out of the room, claiming I'll be safer here with Driger and Wolborg. Speaking of missing lovers, where is Kai?"

"I don't know and we aren't lovers. I told you I simply find him intriguing. That doesn't mean I want to have sex with him." Bryan got up and poured two mugs of Verwort tea from the kettle over the fire and handed one to the smaller man. "Where did you get the idea we were lovers?"

Rei smiled as he took a sip of his tea. "Tala told me you were both awful cozy in your bed the night Ambassador Granger was attacked."

One broad shoulder dipped as Bryan shrugged. "We fooled around that night, but nothing that would make us lovers. I told you after Johnny I was never going to love anyone again. I wish you would-"

A sharp knock on the door interrupted Bryan and he growled as he got to his feet. Today was supposed to be the one day he didn't have to deal with the other idiot Ambassadors and if he had vowed if anyone interrupted his day he was going to kill them then and there.

Jerking the door open Bryan frowned at the six guards, all heavily armed, who were flanking Robert who was looking unusually serious. "If this has anything to do with our negotiations I'm going to kill someone. You are dancing on my last nerve."

Robert shook his head. "This has nothing to do with the negotiations. The Seekers have discovered the identity of the assassin and traitor."

Bryan's hand went to the handle of his knife, eyes fastened on Robert. "Who?"

"Tala Ivanov."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.

A/N: Here it finally is the last chapter of Political Differences. This is more then likely the last Beyblade story I will ever post. I will however continue to write in the Naruto, Star Wars and any other fandom that happens to catch my interest. Thanks to everyone who read this story.

* * *

"No!"

Bryan felt his brother's shock through his Empathy and turned to catch the neko-jin as Rei tried to slip past him to get to the guards. Ignoring the smaller man's nails digging into his arm he pulled Rei against his chest, knowing he couldn't let him near the guards. Being a neko-jin Rei was faster and stronger then a human and he teetered on the brink of humanity, his animal side always calling on him to hunt. Letting him get to the guards was not an option.

Using his Empathy he calmed his brother and slowly eased him into unconsciousness, his eyes fixed the entire time on Robert who had been watching the proceedings with something akin to fear in his eyes. He carefully set Rei on the couch before wheeling around to face the other man, eyes flaring with his power. "What the hell do you mean Tala is the traitor."

The purple haired man stepped into the room, motioning for his guards to stay out. "Ambassador Granger recalled that the man who attacked him had red hair and the servant who originally said your brother gave him the arsenic now says a tall pale man with flame red hair gave him the poison. As Tala is the only man here matching that description what else was I supposed to think. Are you telling me you didn't know?"

At the hard look he received from the other man Robert shrugged. "I would have thought with your Empathy you would have known."

"He's my best friend and my brother's bondmate. Why would I even for a second think that he might be the one trying to ruin everything." Bryan was silent for a minute before he continued. "And he's bonded to Rei. If the attack on Rei had been successful they both would have died."

Robert shrugged. "An answer to that I do not have. I was on my way to talk to him when I decided you had a right to know."

The lavender haired man rolled his eyes as he slipped his boots on. "How kind of you. However, I will not allow you to talk to Tala. I know what 'talk' means to the people of Stan Wyrm and I will not allow you to torture him."

They stared at each other for long minutes, waiting for the other to give in. Robert was the first to look away, his gaze dropping to the floor. "You may talk to him, but do not enter his cell."

"He wouldn't attack me, but I'll follow your stupid rules."

-----

"Tala."

The man jerked his head up, blue eyes widening. Bryan was standing on the other side of the bars, eyes glowing, arms folded across his chest. Despite the fact no emotion showed on his face Tala could see the behind his friend's mask, the anger and upset. He slid off the small cot and moved to stand in front of the lavender haired man, hands curling around the cold metal bars.

They were the same height and this close Tala read the feeling of betrayal in the silver eyes. "Bryan, I swear to you on Johnny's grave I would never betray you and Rei like that. I don't know what is going on but someone is trying to set me up."

A dark look flashed through Bryan's eyes at the mention of his lost mate but it left as quickly as it had come. Unfolding his arms he slipped one through the bars to cup Tala's cheek, thumb brushing over one sharp cheek. "I know you wouldn't Wolf, but Jurgen and the others do not understand the bond we share. All they see is someone to blame for their own shortcomings. However, until I can discover the identity of the real traitor you're going to have to remain imprisoned."

Tala nodded, eyes falling shut for a brief moment, before opening again bright with determination. "At least until there is another attack. Since they are keeping me under such tight surveillance there is no possible way I could mastermind another attack.

The lavender haired man nodded, a fierce smile twisting his lips. "Exactly." With one last caress of his friend's cheek he stepped back. "Remain strong Wolf. I will not allow family to remain imprisoned." He strode out of the prison, boots snapping against the stones with each step.

-----

Kai slowly entered the sitting room of the suite. It was just past dinner and he had heard the same rumors as everyone else. The redhead with Ambassador Kuznetsov was the traitor. He closed the door behind him and moved to drop the lock bar into place.

"Come to gloat?"

The heavy wooden bar dropped to the floor and he wheeled around to find Bryan sitting in a dark corner by the fire. The man was flipping on his knives, long fingers closing around the handle for a brief moment before it was airborne again with a perfect flick of his wrist. There was something oddly sensual in the way the lavender haired man handled the razor bladed knife and Kai found himself watching the big hands as they caught the knife. A coil of pleasure formed in the pit of his stomach as he remembered the way the other man's hands had felt on his body three weeks ago.

Fighting back the arousal he could feel stirring in his blood he folded his arms across his chest. "Gloat about the fact an Empath missed the betrayal of his best friend? Never." Sarcasm dripped off Kai's words and he could see the affect it had on the other man in the telltale tensing of the broad shoulders.

Bryan caught the knife and jammed it into the table, leaving it embedded in the table as he got to his feet. Moving with unnatural grace he stalked forward, eyes locked on Kai. "Don't think you're safe just because I find you attractive." He pinned the smaller man to the door with his body, hands on either side of Kai's head. "My family will always come first and if you find any humor in what is happening to us, I can't guarantee that you'll make it out of this room alive."

Staring into the emotionally broken silver eyes Kai felt a rush of _something _fill his body, all aimed at the dangerous man who had him pinned to the door. It wasn't lust. He'd moved beyond that three weeks ago at the first touch of Bryan's hand on his chest. Nor was it love. It was a strange amalgam of the two that pulled two men of such different backgrounds together.

Kai looped one arm around the man's waist, his hand coming up to cup the man's chin. He could feel the latent strength in Bryan's long body, hard muscles developed from years of training with weapons. His thumb stroked over the bigger man's lips and he was again struck by the oddness of his companion.

A man who had the power to twist emotion but refused to use it for his own benefit. A trained apothecary with the body and skills of a warrior who worked as an ambassador. One who had given his sanity to the gods for his lover and brutally murdered a woman and two children for revenge. The man he had been told to trust, despite the fact they'd only known each other for days.

His hand drifted up the strong curve of Bryan's jaw to tangle in the soft silk of his hair. "I would never think to become between you and your family."

Strong hands dropped on his shoulders and Kai was pulled even closer to Bryan. He could feel the man's burgeoning arousal against his stomach, the knowledge of the other man's need fanning the flames of his own want. Stretching up he kissed the older man, moaning when he felt the pleasure rippling through his body triple.

When the pleasure was gone he was lying on his back on the bed, Bryan kneeling over him, eyes glowing silvery-white. One big hand was on his stomach, fingers spread possessively. His voice, when he finally spoke was an octave lower and his accent was heavier than normal. "Are you sure?"

Pushing away the little voice telling him sleeping with such a dangerous man was a bad idea Kai simply nodded.

-----

Rei crept out of his room, draped in a heavy blanket. Wolborg and Driger were still asleep on his bed, but without Tala he couldn't sleep. His powers were flaring out of control while he slept and he was Seeing, events past and present. It had been so long since he'd had to be away from Tala and it was painful.

"I trust you aren't planning on going on a rampage and going to free Tala?"

The neko-jin whirled around to find Bryan standing at the door to the balcony wearing nothing more than a pair of dark sleep pants. Amid the thick scars of whip marks on the broad back he could make out the scratches and it brought a smile to his face. "No. I would not endanger any of us like that." He moved to stand with his brother, smiling when the older man pulled him close. "I see you finally gave in. How do you feel?"

Bryan kissed the neko-jin on the forehead. "Better. More balanced then I have been in a long while."

Silence stretched between them for long moments before Rei spoke. "You don't really believe Tala is the traitor do you?"

"No. He loves you too much to try to harm you. And he is utterly loyal to our family. He was set up."

Rei snuggled closer to Bryan as a chill wind sprang up. "And what are we going to do about getting him free?"

The lavender haired man sighed. "You Kattunge are going to do nothing. The traitor is still free and I will not have you attacked while we try to free Tala. You will remain under Robert's protection as will Kai. I will not have either of you come to harm."

"While I hate the fact you are treating me like a child, I will agree to your terms simply because I want Tala freed." He smiled up at the taller man, eyes glowing. "Chess? I find since Tala is not here I can't sleep."

Bryan brushed some of Rei's hair back behind his ear. "Of course."

-----

Rei smiled at Kai as he came out of the room, looking tired. Without waiting for Kai to speak he got up and poured a cup of tea for the other man. He pressed it into the man's hand as he sank into a chair. "Good morning."

The slate haired man simply inclined his head and sipped at the tea. While he usually rose early in the morning he hated the early hours of the day and would have preferred to sleep until the earth had been warmed by the sun. However, he'd been raised by his grandfather and Voltaire had required everyone within his home to rise when he did, an hour before sunrise. He had become so used to waking early sleeping beyond dawn was nearly impossible unless the day before had been strenuous.

Kai was brought out of his thoughts by the soft sound of Rei's voice. He glanced up from his tea to find the neko-jin staring at him, golden eyes curious. "What did you say?"

The smaller man smiled as he combed his fingers through the thick fur on Driger's neck. "Would you be able to give up your power and position to remain with him?"

It took Kai a moment to realize what the other man was asking. He shook his head and set the mug he was still holding aside. "As much as I hate my position I wouldn't give it up for an understanding. Your brother and I are too alike to form any kind of lasting attachment to each other."

Smiling Rei picked his book up off the back of the couch, eyes falling to the book. "Bryan doesn't want a lover who is submissive. He needs someone who will question him and be strong enough to support him when he breaks. Johnny was ten times more stubborn and argumentative then you and Bryan combined. I think any attachment you have with Bryan would last."

-----

Bryan turned the page of the massive book he was looking through, his free hand gently stroking the feathers on Falborg's chest. They were in the castle's library, tucked in one corner, far from the door and the disapproving looks of the librarian. The first time he had come in with Falborg on his shoulder the librarian had started up about how animals were not allowed in even if he was an important ambassador.

When the woman had realized the falcon was actually a familiar with near human intelligence and reasoning she had quickly apologized for insulting them but the damage had been done. Falborg happily spent the next ten minutes knocking over stacks of books and shredding several scrolls with her beak and talons.

After the incident they'd managed to come to a kind of truce. The librarian would never Falborg again and in return Falborg would leave the books and scrolls untouched. The promise however, did nothing to keep the woman from glaring at them every time they set foot in the massive room.

He idly turned another page, silver eyes skimming the paper. The book was old, its pages dry and brittle under his fingers and filled with cramped writing. Most of it was filled with old herbal remedies from years of hedgewitches and midwives. He knew from his own studies as an apothecary that some of the salves and potions listed in the book had true magical properties but many of them were simply mixtures of herbs.

His patience wearing thin he skipped over an entire section on medicines and poultices to help with childbirth and sick children. The next section of the book was much older, the writing dark and close on the paper, almost illegible in the dark corner. He could barely make out the words 'mind magic' in the cluttered writing and a coil of wary hope coiled in the pit of his stomach. The answer to all of their problems could finally be at hand.

Bryan got to his feet and moved to a window, Falborg perched on his shoulder. She could feel her companion's feelings and she ruffled her feathers in agitation. The moment the book was dropped to the table she fluttered down next to it and cocked her head to the side, skimming the words. While she could not actually read the impressions from Bryan were enough for her to know what she was seeing.

The feeling of wary hope quickly turned into real hope and Bryan couldn't suppress his shout of happiness. Pulling a blank piece of parchment and an ink well close he quickly scribbled down what he was looking at, all the while trying to remember which of the herbs he had with him. There were several he knew he would have to collect at the full moon but that day was rapidly approaching. The last ingredient had to be fresh so he couldn't collect that until everything else was ready but that didn't matter.

He had been waiting since Johnny's death to find an answer to the problem of his and Rei's Mind Magic going out of control. Another three weeks really wasn't going to matter.

Tapping Falborg on the beak he smiled as the wickedly curved tip caught his finger. "Finally I've found the answer."

-----

Even with his limited Empathy Rei could feel Bryan coming, emotions out of control. Usually his brother was the epitome of control, never allowing his emotions to slip out of his iron shielding. To do so could mean the accidental death of anyone he came into contact with.

Bryan came into the room, a scrap of parchment in one hand, Falborg perched on his shoulder. While there were no outward signs of his feelings Rei could read the surprise and hope in the silver eyes. "Bry, you're projecting." Instantly the feelings were gone and Rei allowed himself to relax back in the chair, eyes fixed on the piece of paper in the other man's hand. "Did you figure something out?

The man shrugged as he set Falborg on her perch, next to the larger one for the times Dranzer actually came inside. "Possibly. I have to do more research before I'm certain but I have a good feeling." He kissed Rei on the forehead before turning to glance at Kai, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. "Do you want a kiss too?"

The slate haired man turned the page in his book, never looking up. "If I say yes will you leave me alone for the rest of the day?"

"No." Crossing to the other man he tipped his head back with a gentle touch under his chin and stole a kiss, smiling at the way the mahogany eyes slid shut. He broke the kiss, ignoring the smile from Rei and the look of exasperation in his partner's mahogany eyes. "I'm going to see if I can find anything to prove Tala's innocence. I'll be back later."

-----

Kai stretched, acutely aware of Bryan behind him. They were lying back to back on the bed, simply enjoying being with each other. He could feel the ridges of scar tissue against his skin and the warmth flooding off the other man was working to put him to sleep. Shifting closer to the man he smiled when a hand rested on his thigh, fingers spread. "Your brother asked me an interesting question the other day."

He felt the hand on this thigh tighten briefly and he took it to mean that the other man was actually paying attention to what he was saying. "He asked if I could give up my position to remain with you."

The lavender haired man laughed the low sound oddly free for someone who had been emotionally and mentally broken by the death of his mate. "I haven't shown this much interest in anyone since Johnny's death. Rei simply wants what is best for me, even if it means asking you to give up everything to stay with me." His hand slid higher, fingers brushing over the inside of Kai's thigh. "Could you do it?"

"Perhaps years from now, when I have tired of intrigue and fighting that comes with my position. At this point we have nothing to keep us together."

Bryan rolled over, one arm sliding over Kai's side, fingers of his hand sliding under the edge of the smaller man's pants. "I know you aren't an Empath but even you know there is something between us." He brushed a light kiss across the nape of the smaller man's neck. "It's more than lust. You can feel it as well as I can. A connection between us."

"I'll never be able to love you. My ability to love left me with Johnny but I promise you'll live in a manner in which you are accustomed. The Emperor has given me a small house not far from the capital and pays for all my expenses." His hand slid lower, drawing a sharp gasp from the man in his arms. "All I want from you in return is unwavering loyalty to me."

He could feel a shift Kai's emotions and he pressed closer, chin resting on the man's shoulder. "I'm not asking you to decide now." Bryan's voice dropped and he nuzzled the man's cheek. "Think on it."

-----

Pulling the scrap of paper from his belt pouch Bryan dipped his quill pen in the inkwell and crossed out part of the list before rewriting it, using the common names of the plants. The book was well over two hundred years old and the names of some of the plants had changed over the years, causing him mild confusion but he'd been diligent when it came to his studies as an apothecary and he knew a half dozen names for nearly ever plant or herb that could be used to heal or kill.

He cleaned the quill off and set it aside, eyes scanning the small glass bottles lined up at the top of the desk. Each of the ten bottles bore a white label carefully labeled in his nearly illegible handwriting. The labels were simply for the benefit of Rei or anyone else who needed to get something out of his box. He knew all of his plants and unguents by scent alone and by their positioning in his wooden chest.

Placing the piece of paper back into his belt pouch he turned away from the desk and tossed three large logs on the already blazing fire. Pinned to bookshelves of the room were bundles of plants drying in the scorching heat of the room. The windows were tightly shut and he had barred both Kai and Rei from entering the room, which had annoyed his brother to no end but it couldn't be helped. If anything he was working on was disturbed the results would be disastrous and he wouldn't risk the safety of the two men in his care.

He fingered the leaves hanging on the mantle above the fireplace, a slight smile curling his lips at the velvet feel of the leaf. With a gentle pull he broke three leaves off the branch and crushed them, a sickly sweet scent filling the air. Removing a glass jar from his open box he removed the top with his teeth and carefully scraped the crushed leaves into the container.

"I'll harvest the_vernae bellecossa_ tomorrow morning at first light but the sanguine sap must wait until the last moment."

A glance at the water clock on one shelf showed it to be just barely after dark. Knowing Rei was expecting him at dinner he quickly recapped the bottle and set it with everything else on the desk. He slipped out of the room and locked the door. Another three days and everything would be the way it was meant to be.

-----

"If you would simply hold still for the next five minutes this wouldn't be such a problem." Rei gently tapped Wolborg on the muzzle with the brush. It was nearly midnight and he couldn't sleep. Since Tala's incarceration nearly a month earlier he'd managed barely five hours of sleep a night. It was starting to take its toll on him but five hours of sleep was better than waking screaming in the middle of the night because of his visions.

Wolborg huffed and rolled onto his side, a silent invite for the neko-jin to continue what he had started. Driger and Wolborg were his constant companions through the dark hours, sharing the bed with him and waking him when the visions became too vivid. Whistling softly Rei ran the brush through the wolf's coarse coat, taking pleasure in the simple motion of the brush

He lost track of how long he was on the floor, the crackle of the fire and Driger's soft snoring the only sounds of the room. Setting the brush aside he plunged his hands into Wolborg's snow white fur, fingers tightening into claws that pressed into the wolf's skin.

Wolborg didn't move, ignoring the sharp prick of nails into his skin. He knew the neko-jin was hurting from Tala's absence and it was his job as the redhead's familiar to stay with Rei and make sure he was taken care of. Twisting his head he leaned up and licked the man on the cheek, tongue lolling out in a grin when the neko-jin looked at him.

Rei rubbed the saliva off his cheek with the sleeve of his robe and kissed the great wolf on the nose. "I appreciate the thought Wolborg, but I'd much rather get a kiss from Tala."

Woofing softly Wolborg shifted to his stomach, head resting on his paws, ears pricked forward with his ice blue eyes focused on the door. In complete contrast to the stillness of the wolf Driger had gotten to his feet and was stalking across the room, his tail swishing in agitation.

The sound of footsteps stopping outside the door reached Rei's ears and he moved back, golden eyes riveted on the door. The dark iron handle slowly turned and Rei's gaze darted to the locking bar no one had dropped into position. Moving slowly he shifted into a crouch. If he was quiet and quick he could drop the lock into place and stop the intruder in his tracks.

Just as he started to move the door swung open and he was frozen in place by the sight of tall lean figure framed in light. An image of Tala being released flashed across his mind and he lunged forward, arms curling around shoulders as he pressed his face against the man's chest. "I missed you so much Tala."

The redhead smiled softly as he folded his arms around Rei. "I missed you too love." His eyes darted to the bedroom door where Bryan was standing with Kai, the two men draped in the sheets from their bed. "Bryan."

A smile twisted his lips as he watched his brother and friend together. "I told you I wouldn't allow family to remain imprisoned." His hand stroked over Kai's shoulder as he spoke. "Go to sleep. You both need it."

Rei disappeared into the bedroom, leaving the three men alone. On an unspoken signal from the lavender haired man Kai slipped back into their room, closing the door behind him. Bryan moved forward, one hand coming up to rest on Tala's shoulder. "Promise me you'll stay with him no matter what."

Tala stared at the other man, icy eyes searching for some hint of what Bryan had meant by his words. He had promised the lavender haired man once before that he would always stay with Rei and protect him no matter the cost. To have his friend bring up the old promise meant something was wrong. "Bryan what's going on?"

Silver eyes flared and the fingers on his shoulder tightened briefly, almost painfully before relaxing. "Nothing Wolf. Just promise you'll never leave him." Not waiting for his friend to answer he pressed a kiss to his forehead before vanishing back into his room, leaving Tala behind him, confusion shining in his eyes.

-----

Bryan entered the main room, a small bag in one hand. Tala and Rei were a slight buzzing on the edges of his Empathy, both of them still deeply asleep. Kai was comfortably ensconced in one of the chairs with a mug of tea in one hand and Dranzer perched on his knee as the phoenix straightened his feathers.

He nodded to the slate haired man before disappearing into the study. In complete contrast to the fiery hell it had been days earlier the room was cold and silent. The room again looked like a normal study with the exception of the desk.

The top half was covered in various books from his private collection, all open to a different spell or potion used to slow down deterioration of a person's sanity when using Mind Magic. On top of the books was the rumpled and torn piece of parchment from the library. Below the books the carefully labeled glass bottles stood in a semi circle around a heavy mortar and pestle. Beside the mortar was a clay jug filled with fresh spring water he'd collected the last time he'd gone out riding.

Loosening the top of the bag he reached in and pulled out three long, thin greenish-grey leaves shaped like blades. Dropping the leaves to the desk he picked up a small knife and expertly split the leaves down the middle before dropping them in the mortar with several drops of the spring water. With quick rotations of his wrist he had the water and plant mixed into a thick paste that clung to the bottom of the mortar.

Slowly he added the rest of the plants he had collected, always with a little more water to keep it smooth. Setting the pestle aside he added a drop of Dragon oil, needed to boost the inherent blocking abilities of the plants. "And the last ingredient. The blood of a loved one who would give their life for your happiness."

It was almost too easy to pick up the knife and press it to the fleshy part of his thumb, to draw blood. There had been times, even years after losing Johnny when he'd thought about simply ending his life with one of the knives he always had around. In the end, the only thing that had stopped him from joining his soulmate in the next life was the knowledge of Rei, that his brother needed him to find an answer to solve the problem of Mind Magic destroying their sanity.

He let three drops of his blood fall into the concoction in the mortar and the moment the crimson liquid touched the muddy green mixture it turned a dark blue, the color of the sky as the sun finally disappears. Sucking the blood off his thumb he carefully poured the mixture into a small vial before corking it. As added insurance against any leaks he smashed a ball of wax over the cork and slipped it into his belt pouch.

Leaving the mess on the table he locked the door. Rei and Tala were finally awake and had taken over the couch. The neko-jin was curled against his lover's side, the sound of his low purring echoing through the room. Even if he hadn't been an Empath Bryan would have been able to feel the contentment radiating from his brother and friend. It was wrong of Robert to have separated them.

Sometimes his Empathy wasn't the curse he wanted everyone to believe it was. Words had never been his strong point and sometimes it had simply been easier to let Johnny and Reid Feel what he meant rather than trying to explain it to them. He knelt in front of Rei and pressed his forehead against his brother's allowing his shield to drop enough so the neko-jin could feel his love. "Never doubt the fact that I love you."

Ignoring Rei's questioning look he moved to Tala, pressing a light kiss to the redhead's lips. "I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart for loving and taking care of him."

Straightening up he crossed to Kai who was watching the proceedings with interested eyes, one hand stroking Dranzer's back. He gently touched Dranzer's head smiling when the phoenix snapped at his finger. "If I could love again you're everything I would want in a mate." The kiss they shared was slow and perfect, a promise of what could have been. Without looking back he walked out of the room.

-----

"Enter."

Robert looked up from the accounting book he had been looking at, ruby eyes fixed on Bryan as he entered the room. "I was expecting you much earlier."

The lavender haired man shrugged as he sank into the chair across from the other man. "I had some last minute details I needed to take care of."

"I want to know why you felt the need to attack so many innocent people." The older man closed the book and rounded the desk to stand in front of his visitor, arms folded across his chest

Bryan shrugged again, his face impassive. "You'll find out when I tell Rei and the others."

When Robert spoke his cultured voice was compassionate, completely at odds with the stern set of his face. "Would you rather explain everything to your brother in private? You came to me willingly enough and I believe I can trust you to return after you tell your family what is going on."

"No. It's better if we do it this way. So Rei can see what I've become."

Robert simply nodded and touched a stone on his desk. Seconds later two guards entered, one of them carrying a pair of heavy iron manacles. At the sight of them Bryan merely smirked grimly and held his hands out.

-----

Rei couldn't fight the growl that echoed in his chest when Robert entered their room with announcing himself first. "Come to steal Tala from me again?" He could feel Tala reaching for him and he stepped forward, away from his mate's reach, knowing the man wanted him to stop.

The ambassador shook his head and moved to the side to reveal Bryan flanked by two guards, his wrists trapped in iron.

The neko-jin took a half step toward Robert, eyes feral. "First you take my mate from me and now you shackle my brother like he's a common criminal. I should rip your throat out for this."

"Kattunge." Bryan's low voice cut through Rei's anger and the neko-jin turned to look at him, all the anger draining from his body. "Do not threaten him. I deserve to be locked up." Silence pervaded the room for seconds before Bryan spoke again. "I was behind every one of the attacks." His gaze drifted to Tala who was staring at him, disbelief in his icy eyes. "I set up Tala to take the fall for awhile, but I was never going to allow him to stay imprisoned."

He could feel the shock and betrayal from Tala and Rei, surprise from Kai. Sighing he pulled the vial of liquid from his belt pouch and tossed it to Tala who managed to catch it despite his shock. "One drop in his tea three times a day for a month. It will work to keep his Mind Magic from destroying his sanity." He turned away, knowing he had most likely driven a wedge between him and the only men who still loved him.

"Tell me why Bryan."

The lavender haired man whirled around to find Rei leaning against Tala, watching him like a cat with a mouse. "Because I thought if I managed to screw up bad enough the Emperor would call me back and perhaps finally get revenge for what I did to his family. I've contemplated ending my life so many times over the years but I didn't because I knew how much it would hurt you and I wanted to find a way to save you from your Mind Magic. You deserve to live a long happy life with Tala. "

He shifted and the chains clanked, reminding everyone of what he had done. "The Emperor has decided since the attack took place in Robert's castle that I am to remain here for the rest of my life as a show of good will from the Emperor. I'll live like a noble prisoner for the rest of my life or until my sanity is gone and I become a danger to everyone and they kill me."

Without waiting for an answer he turned and left the room, the guards and Robert following behind.

The moment the heavy door closed Rei spun around to look at Kai who had remained silent through the entire encounter. He moved to the slate haired man, golden eyes shining with unshed tears and hope. "Please stay with him. I don't want him to be alone any longer."

Kai looked down at the neko-jin who was seconds away from crying and practically begging him to save Bryan. He gently stroked a hand through the smaller man's hair, thinking about what was being asked of him.

He'd already said once he couldn't give up everything he'd ever known for a man he barely knew. But after Bryan's last kiss, the soft words said in that low accented voice had caused the need he felt for the other man to bloom, to grow into something he was almost afraid to name.

The thought of leaving his country and duty behind to live in seclusion with a man who could never actually love him seemed like a stupid idea, but on another deeper level, it seemed like the perfect life. He had never wanted to be an ambassador and had done it only because it was what his grandfather had wanted. For his entire life he'd only done what he thought Voltaire had wanted, had spent his childhood trying to keep his grandfather happy.

It was time for him to choose what made him happy.

Bowing his head he kissed Rei on the forehead, a slight smile twisting his lips. "I'll stay with him as long as he'll have me. I promise.

The End

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A/N2: I had originally intended this story to have a happy ending but that obviously didn't happen. Thanks again for reading. 


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